Certificate of incapacity for work
Previously on paper, now digital
You are unable to work and your doctor has written you off sick? In this case, the doctor's the doctor's office automatically sends us your sick note electronically. If you still receive it in paper form, please submit the certificate of incapacity for work to BKK EWE within one week. If there is a change of health insurance fund, it is therefore very important to present the correct health insurance card to the doctor's office or to inform the doctor's office of this so that the certificate of incapacity for work is sent electronically to the correct health insurance fund.
As a patient, your doctor will give you a carbon copy of the certificate of incapacity for work for your records. Please keep this as proof.
As of 01.01.2023, you will no longer receive a certificate of incapacity for work from your doctor intended for your employer. Nevertheless, please inform your employer immediately (e.g. by telephone) about the existence of incapacity for work so that you can fulfill your obligation under your employment contract.
Your employer will then contact BKK EWE and request the data on your inability to work. BKK EWE will transmit the following data exclusively at the request of your employer:
- Surname, first name, insured person number, gender
- Start of incapacity for work according to employer
- Start of incapacity for work according to sick note
- Expected end of sick note
- Determination date of sick note
- Indicator for error messages
(e.g. a 1 for: Health insurance company is responsible, 4 for sick leave is not available)
- Accident at work (yes or no)
- Involved accident physician (yes or no)
- Other accident (yes or no)
- Type of certificate (initial or follow-up certificate)
- In the case of inpatient stay, confirmation of admission date and expected duration of treatment
What are the advantages of the new eAU?
- Less work for your doctor, he no longer needs to print a paper certificate.
- Conservation of the environment and its resources by eliminating the paper form.
- The eAU is automatically sent to BKK EWE. There is no effort for the insured person.
- The eAU is transmitted securely and quickly to BKK EWE. At a later date, the eAU is then automatically transmitted to the employer by BKK EWE.
- The eAU procedure ensures seamless documentation at BKK EWE.
- Incapacity for work is reported in good time so that there is no loss of entitlement to cash benefits.
- The certificate of incapacity for work "for presentation to the employer" in paper form is no longer required and is requested digitally by the employer from BKK EWE. BKK EWE transmits the data to your employer in a secure and encrypted form.
Sick leave by telephone
If you have a minor illness, e.g. a cold or the flu, you no longer need to go to the doctor's surgery in person to get a sick note (AU). This has been decided jointly by doctors, health insurance companies and clinics. From now on, this is possible by telephone. This should relieve the burden on doctors' surgeries, minimize the risk of infection and reduce the number of sick days.
Although the regulation applies to all illnesses and not just infections, we strongly recommend that you visit your doctor in person if you have a more serious illness.
Requirements for sick notes by telephone:
- The doctor's surgery must already know you.
- You must not have any serious symptoms of illness that require an examination.
- The doctor's surgery does not offer video consultations.
- The first sick note is valid for a maximum of 5 days. If you are still ill after that, you must visit the practice in person.
Published on: 07.03.2022 - Last modified on: 05.01.2024
